Black Walnut Steamed Pudding with Fig Preserves
Pastry Chef Maura Kilpatrick of Oleana – Cambridge, MA
Adapted by StarChefs

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

Kaymak (clotted cream):

• 1 quart milk
• 1 quart heavy cream

Pudding:
• 6 ounces butter, room temperature
• 1½ cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 Tablespoons vanilla
• 1½ cups flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1½ teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup black walnuts, chopped

Black mission fig jam:
• 2 pounds black mission figs, stems removed
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoons honey
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method:
For kaymak (clotted cream):
Place milk in shallow pan; bring to a boil and add cream slowly. Simmer, partially covered over low heat (approximately 150° – 160°F). Liquid should be shaking but not boiling. Continue simmering gently for 2 hours. Remove from heat and let sit at room temperature for 7 hours. Return to heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool again and place in refrigerator for 2 days. Use only thick layer on top. Stir some of the liquid under that layer in to smooth the cream. Stir gently, as the cream is fragile and can be easily overmixed.

For pudding:
In an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter and sugar until well combined. Beat in eggs one at a time, and then add vanilla. Turn off mixer and scrape bowl. Fold in the dry ingredients and walnuts to combine. Pour mixture into a 2-quart steamed pudding mold and clamp on cover. If using a coffee can, cover with foil. Place the mold in a pot deep enough to cover the mold. Fill pot with water ¾ of the way up the sides of mold. Cover pot and bring to a boil on the stove. Cook at a low boil for 2 hours. Cool completely.

For black mission fig jam:
Place figs in a pot of boiling water for 4 – 5 minutes. Drain and cool. Pulse figs in food processor. Combine figs, sugar, honey and lemon juice in saucepan. Stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool.

To serve:
Slice pudding into ½-inch pieces. Top each slice of pudding with a spoon-formed quenelle of kaymak. Serve fig jam alongside in a small dish.